2021 University of Maine study shows Maine lobster population shifts, with a 60% drop in boulder habitats and 633% increase in sediment habitats, leading to overall lower densities.
A University of Maine study reveals significant habitat shifts among American lobsters along Maine's coast from 1995 to 2021. Lobsters occupying boulder habitats dropped by 60%, while those in sediment and featureless ledge habitats surged by 633% and 280%. Overall population density declined, suggesting fewer, more spread-out lobsters. These changes may stem from lower survival rates for young lobsters and altered competition and predation dynamics.
October 18, 2024
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